tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426Fri, 03 Oct 2014 04:38:17 +0000Guatemalteca"A person is a person through other persons."
-Desmond Tutuhttp://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)Blogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-5524126356852133373Tue, 26 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +00002011-07-26T09:00:34.389-07:00New AdventuresIn May, I returned to the U.S. from Guatemala. I was obviously sad that my time as a Peace Corps Volunteer (3 years and 5 months!) had come to the end and devastated at having to leave Donal behind (for now), but I was also really ready to start moving forward with the immigration process and to find out what I had been missing all those years outside U.S.<br /><br />Technology was definitely VERY different including new things like tablet PCs, kindles, and smart-phones that were accessible to the general public. I spent a great deal of time deciding whether I needed a data plan or not and decided I wasn't quite ready to make that transition yet. I haven't regretted it once. The Southcenter mall renovation is also SO overwhelming.<br /><br />Many things haven't changed. Although my friends are sporting new significant others, new houses, new cars, and new children in many cases, who they are and why I love them has thankfully not changed. I am here at my parent's house which also hasn't changed and the weather is comfortably dreary.<br /><br />All in all, I am settling into life in the U.S. nicely. I have a job which is a HUGE challenge (in a good way). The cat, after an overwhelming in-cabin journey (my fellow passengers were thankful that the kitty whining was drowned out by the engine noise) to the U.S. and a harrowing near-fatal liver infection, is also loving his new life.<br /><br />Donal and I are settling into the long-distance relationship as well. The first month was pretty easy (we had been apart that long before on previous visits I made here) and the second not-so-easy. I am thankful for international calling plans and Skype which allow us to talk or text almost every day. It is hard not to be able to see each other but we both know it is only temporary and will be SO worth spending the rest of our lives together. <br /><br />That is a short update on whats been going on. Next time I will update you on the immigration process and WEDDING PLANS. Hasta Luego.http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-adventures.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-5114194182400282439Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:59:00 +00002010-12-15T10:36:45.857-08:00On the TableHere in the U.S., we don't talk about marraige with people we are dating. In general, people don't even mention the "M" word for months if not years. Our culture is caught up in doing things at the "right" time, in following the right procedure. Don't kiss to soon or he'll get the wrong idea, don't say I Love You until you're sure she'll say it back, don't mention marraige with the first 6 months (or the 6 years) or he'll freak out.<br /><br />Let's face it: we all think about it. After a certain age, everyone you date is automatically evaluated for marraige potential (I'm talking girls <strong>and</strong> guys here) and anyone who doesn't make the grade is basically a waste of time. How soon does marraige cross your mind? The first date? Second date? After a month? I'm willing to bet that in the first few dates you both have thought about it. If you add it up, you've probably spent days of your adult life thinking about the kind of person you want to marry and in the first few dates, you wonder how that person matches up to your qualifications. We can't help it...but we could NEVER EVER tell them about it.<br /><br />In Guatemala, things are a little different. Like I mentioned before, publicly dating is a really big deal. People sneak around for years and even if everyone knows they are dating, if it isn't public it isn't serious and people pretend they don't notice. In a town of 2,000 people a tall blonde person tends to get noticed a little. By the time I started dating Donal, I was a bit of a local celebrity. People paid attention to what I did, marvelled at it, and speculated about it to all of their neighbors. So, even before we started dating, they were asking: Is Donal your boyfriend? How does he treat you? Have you met his family?<br /><br />Are you going to marry him and take him back to the United States to live with you forever and have white-skinned babies?<br /><br />A simple "I haven't really thought about it." or "I'm not sure yet." didn't satisfy the curiousity of 2,000 townspeople and the question was asked over and over and over. It's the same way that people spend hours obsessing over whether two celebrities are really dating each other when a photographer catched a picture of them lunching out in L.A. The magazines speculate, people talk about it, and the reporters will keep asking them about it until they get the answer they want.<br /><br />So, my point is, marraige was on the table in our relationship from day one. Since everyone around us was asking, it naturally became a part of our conversations. From the very beginning we talked about what we wanted from our future spouses, the possibility of him moving or me staying in Guatemala. We always knew that if at one point we realized we couldn't marry each other, the deal would be off. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable; it was actually a huge relief. I didn't have to worry about when the appropriate time to bring it up was or if he would react badly. Other people broke the ice for us and we could happily swim in the waters of relationship honesty.<br /><br />People ask me when I knew that I would marry Donal and it's a hard question to answer. There was no magic moment when I "knew" we would be together forever. In some ways, I always knew I would marry him. After months of letting it be on the table it became a normal part of my plans without me even making a decision. I never found any reason why I shouldn't marry him. Instead, I got to know him better and found a million reasons why I should and it gradually took over my thinking and confirmed the thoughts we had already shared: we would get married. I don't think proposals should be complete surprises or that guys should doubt whether she will say "Yes" or not. We talked about it from day one and when we decided to get engaged it was something we decided together as the logical next step toward the future we both wanted...together.<br /><br />I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2010/12/on-table.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-5535446857381850640Thu, 11 Nov 2010 20:44:00 +00002010-11-12T05:26:47.824-08:00Inner-conflictSo, basically I was a huge IDIOT (and pretty much really annoying). Donal and I spent MONTHS as "just friends." We really liked each other, spent all of our time together, and I spent most of that time saying "I don't want a boyfriend...let's just be friends...". Part of that was because I was being wierd and part of it was that I thought having a boyfriend would give me a scandalous reputation around town (something the Peace Corps had warned us about). I also thought it was pointless because I knew I would leave Guatemala someday and I didn't want anyone to get hurt.<br /><br /><em>(embarrassed face)</em><br />Ok, I have to admit: I was also being stubborn because someone in my Peace Corps training class had (and I don't know why they thought this) voted me "most likely to marry a Guatemalan." The Peace Corps traning director told us that 2-3 out of every training class end up fulfilling that role. At the time I emphatically denied any truth in the prediction and I later stubbornly tried to avoid situations (like dating a Guatemalan) that could lead to the fulfillment of the prophesy.<br /><br />All this was floating around in my head making me more and more confused about what I really wanted with Donal.<br /><br />Meanwhile, people around town started to notice. I should mention that most towns in Guatemala suffer from an illness called "small-town-itis" which causes people to watch each other like hawks and gossip about like their isn't anything better to do (because there really isn't). So, while I was saying "Let's just be friends" everone in town was saying "Did you hear that Andrea's dating Donal?".<br /><br />I should also mention that in Guatemala, meeting someone's family and admitting that you are dating is a REALLY big deal. Young people meet up in secret for <em>years</em> until they finally tell their parents about it. You can go to any Guatemalan town during the late evening and see dozens of secretly-in-love couples making out on dark street corners safely hidden from their family's knowledge. So, me wanting to be "just friends" with Donal looked to the average townsperson like the normal secret-dating ritual performed by everyone else.<br /><br />So, I finally got annoyed of saying I wanted to be "just friends", worrying about my reputation, denying my feelings, and hearing from everyone else that I really WASN'T "just friends" with Donal, I decided to go for it. I threw myself overboard into waters I knew might hold dangers like scandalous reputations, future heartbreak, "I-told-you-so"s and inter-cultural conflicts.<br /><br />...and I am SO glad I did!http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2010/11/inner-conflict.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-9118570341354006484Sun, 09 May 2010 15:47:00 +00002010-05-09T09:00:10.929-07:00Getting to Know YouSo, Donal and I had met, but we didn't see each other again for several weeks. Finally, I decided (don't remember why) to stroll down the street-less-traveled and I ran into Donal. We made plans to hang out (as friends).<br /><br />In small-town Guatemala, there is not much to do at night. Basically all hanging out/dating/going out at night takes place either by hanging out on the street corner and eating tacos, or if you have a car, driving around in circles (AKA cruising). So, Donal picked me up and we started driving around and getting to know each other. It wasn't like dating. I really liked Donal but I was going through a phase where I was totally sick of guys and really just wanted some guy-friends. So I obsessively mentioned how much I did NOT want a boyfriend during every conversation and we just hung out.<br /><br />At this point, we were both (after talking about it since) really attracted to each other and really convinced that nothing could ever work out between us. I actually have entries in my journal that say things like "there is no future with Donal." I guess it just goes to show that you never know what God's plan for your life is. I sure didn't see it coming. It took a few weeks of circling around town and around our feelings before the opportunity arose for a real date.http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2010/05/getting-to-know-you.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-7712135820318279387Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:49:00 +00002010-03-19T08:07:10.028-07:00The BeginningI met Donal in May 2008.<br /><br />I had been through 3 months in Peace Corps Training and was working on my 2nd month living in Cabrican, my work site. I had made a few friends in town, but was still feeling a little lonely and missing home.<br /><br />Now, you might wonder...in small town Guatemala, how did it take us 2 months to run into each other? The thing is, I didn't spend a lot of time walking aimlessly around town at that point. There are two main roads in town. The road that Donal's house and store are on happens to not be the road that I normally traveled. The internet cafe I used and the stores I shopped in were all on the other road. So, I spent 2 months in site without ever even walking down the road he lived on. Donal says now that he saw me ONE time during those 2 months and thought I was too pretty to talk to=).<br /><br />I always went to the same internet cafe in those days. One of the teachers at the schools I worked at owned the internet and gave me a little discount. So, I spent a lot of time there writing e-mails to family and friends and everything. Naturally, I started being friends with the guy that worked at the internet cafe, Abner. We never hung out or anything, but every time I went there we said hi and chatted a little.<br /><br />So, one day, I went to the internet and one of Abner's friends was in there using the internet as well. His name was Donal. So, while we all used the internet, we started talking and joking around. I have no idea what we talked about, but when it got to be closing time, the two of them invited me to go eat dinner with them. I said yes.<br /><br />We went to a cafe in the neighboring town and ate dinner and kept talking and joking. I had a lot of fun, although I don't remember what we even talked about. I remember when we were in the car on the way back to town they asked me to sing a song to them and I did. I thought they were both a lot of fun and thought we might have dinner again someday.<br /><br />There was no exchange of phone numbers, no future plans. I still didn't have a reason to go down the street less-traveled in town. Two weeks would go by until I would even see Donal again.http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2010/03/beginning.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-6654551551743007942Sun, 07 Mar 2010 03:41:00 +00002010-03-06T20:16:49.032-08:00Play-by-play<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S5MlQVSaY5I/AAAAAAAAAU8/DKZ8_hwJlL8/s1600-h/DSC01632.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S5MlQVSaY5I/AAAAAAAAAU8/DKZ8_hwJlL8/s320/DSC01632.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445737336943567762" border="0" /></a><br />The moment you have all been waiting for.<br /><br />Ramirez-Stanaway productions proudly presents the engagement play-by-play that took the breath away of your favorite leading lady....<br /><br />Valentine's Day Eve 2010. Dinnertime. The best and maybe only good Indian Restaurant south of the border. Empty restaurant. Two nervous lovebirds nervously choke down their spicy lamb curry and cashew chicken. Tension is in the air.<br /><br />So, let's just say I was suspicious. I know there are a lot of guys that do their very best to give their girls a heart attack with surprising proposals. Other guys are not admired for their subtlety and we love them for it. This belonged to the second group.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S5MlQoeRZfI/AAAAAAAAAVE/nY3wVsB_xzU/s1600-h/DSC01656.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S5MlQoeRZfI/AAAAAAAAAVE/nY3wVsB_xzU/s320/DSC01656.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445737342093583858" border="0" /></a><br />The week before, there were lots of ring questions. Not your typical walk-through-the-mall-and-tell-me-what-you-like kind of questions, but more like "ok, so you like white gold, right?". There was also the ring-trying-on for finger size and little clues like "I am planning a REALLY good Valentine's day present for you..."<br /><br />So, let's just say...I was hoping. Right before dinner, Donal said something to the effect of "I'm going to go buy you a ring, I'll be right back..." and my hopes were confirmed.<br /><br />Then there was the excruciating wait through dinner. We got to the restaurant and sat down, ordered food, and tried to distract ourselves until present-opening time. We took away some of the tension by taking some really ugly pictures with funny faces that I have been forbidden to publish.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S5MlRIhljcI/AAAAAAAAAVM/TPa3OjkvbZk/s1600-h/DSC01661.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S5MlRIhljcI/AAAAAAAAAVM/TPa3OjkvbZk/s320/DSC01661.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445737350697422274" border="0" /></a><br />Then, it was finally time to open presents. I received a little gift bag with Snoopy on it ( Who doesn't love Snoopy?) and inside was a gold box. Inside the gold box was a little ring-shaped box. Donal took the ring box out for me and opened it. Dum Dum Dum<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S5MlRT7B0uI/AAAAAAAAAVU/dllyF1xUx3s/s1600-h/DSC01664.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S5MlRT7B0uI/AAAAAAAAAVU/dllyF1xUx3s/s320/DSC01664.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445737353756922594" border="0" /></a><br />He said "Tu eres la cosa mas bonita que me haya pasado en la vida y si algun dia tenemos que estar aparte, quiero que sea por que Dios haya llevado a uno de nosotros al cielo." Which means: You are the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me in my whole life and if someday we have to be separated, I want it to be because God has taken one of us up to heaven.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S5MlRz1PdYI/AAAAAAAAAVc/m4oVRvAAqhg/s1600-h/DSC01666.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S5MlRz1PdYI/AAAAAAAAAVc/m4oVRvAAqhg/s320/DSC01666.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445737362322584962" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S5MnmCCZm_I/AAAAAAAAAVs/_6End4agLFQ/s1600-h/DSC01668.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S5MnmCCZm_I/AAAAAAAAAVs/_6End4agLFQ/s320/DSC01668.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445739908756511730" border="0" /></a><br />I know, right? I am pretty sure after that (kind of a blur) there was a yes and some kisses involved. AH!<br /><br />After some resizing for large American fingers, I had my beautiful ring on my finger and I was ENGAGED!<br /><br />Two years ago when everyone insisted I would marry a Guatemalan I thought they were crazy! Who would have thought?<br /><br />So, we don't know where, when, or how, but Donal and I love each other and we are GETTING MARRIED!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S5MnlzXARfI/AAAAAAAAAVk/ljkCzLrZLdQ/s1600-h/DSC01674.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S5MnlzXARfI/AAAAAAAAAVk/ljkCzLrZLdQ/s320/DSC01674.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445739904816399858" border="0" /></a>http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2010/03/play-by-play.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-4277121738766904546Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:20:00 +00002010-02-25T16:35:58.100-08:00Changes!It has been quite awhile since I last wrote of my blog. Life in Guatemala fell into kind of a routine and with nothing new and exciting to write about other than the cats....(I know you all were left riveted by the previous article on cat depression...) I neglected my blog. Fortunately, there have been lots of new and exciting changes lately, so I thought I might start writing again.<br /><br />In case you are still on the edge of your seat about Aslan's cat-depression, it was a false alarm. His friend came back and the depression passed. Despite a small problem when he got cut on some barbed wire and we had to make an improvised cat-cone out of cardboard for him so he could heal, the cat is fine.<br /><br />In other news...Donal and I (remember him?) got engaged!!! I'll tell you the whole story in my next entry, I promise.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S4cWsPtHw4I/AAAAAAAAAU0/5UO7DLQ5s7c/s1600-h/DSC01680.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/S4cWsPtHw4I/AAAAAAAAAU0/5UO7DLQ5s7c/s320/DSC01680.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442343624086373250" border="0" /></a><br />Also, I was invited to extend my Peace Corps service another year to be something called a Volunteer Leader. That means I will have to move closer to the city so I can spend my time visiting current volunteers and helping with trainings and documentation.<br /><br />So, in a few weeks I will be starting a new life with a new job in a new town. A few weeks ago I was getting ready to go home to the U.S. I was looking for jobs, talking about what I was going to eat....and now, everything has changed. I will be in Guatemala one more year and when I do go home next year, I will be making plans to get married and make it possible for Donal to be there with me. How exciting! More details and the full exclusive story to come!http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2010/02/changes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-1047118589116951628Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:30:00 +00002009-07-06T10:43:52.531-07:00Cat depression...So I came back from the 4th of July party in Antigua to not good news. The party was fun. I got that party-ed out feeling about halfway through (170 Peace Corps volunteers, 80% I had never met before + loud music + dancing + general craziness). The ambassador and his sons came and played in the staff vs. volunteer soccer game and beat us.<br /><br />The bad news, I came home and the remaining mean kitten, Willie, has run away. I don't know if he got out and couldn't find his way back or just got sick of me. There is still faint hope he will come back, but he has been gone more than the 24 hours they make you wait to file a police report for missing persons by now...<br /><br />Aslan has been wandering listlessly around the house, calling out for Willie, looking for her, and won't leave my side. It is SO sad. He is obviously really missing his friend and I don't know what to do. The online help I found wasn't so helpful.<br /><br />Treating Cat Depression (ehow.com) My comments in <span style="color:#ff0000;">RED</span><br /><br />Instructions<br />Step 1<br />Cats are creatures of habit. Search your home for any recent changes, such as a new brand of kitty litter of cat food <span style="color:#ff0000;">(or maybe disappeared companions?)</span> . Temporarily revert to the old brands and gauge the changes in your pet.<br />Step 2<br />Monitor how you are presenting yourself to your cat. Pets pick up on the emotions of their owners. Try to be as cheerful as possible when around them. <span style="color:#ff0000;">(Uh-oh...I am usually tired, lazy, or stressed out...)<br /></span>Step 3<br />Play with your cat! Set aside at least 15-30 minutes a day to interact with your pet. An easy game: attach a feather to a stick using string. Pretend it’s a fishing pole, and dangle the feather over your cat’s head. Make him leap for it. Let him catch and play with it from time to time so he doesn’t get bored. <span style="color:#ff0000;">(feathers...like from a chicken....?)</span><br />Step 4<br />Make an effort to pet, hold and groom your cat as often as you can. This will give him the security he needs to feel content. <span style="color:#ff0000;">(ok, I think I could have thought of that...)<br /></span>Step 5<br />Contact with the outdoors can work wonders. Clear a comfortable perch for your cat by a window, preferably in view of outdoor critters such as squirrels and birds. If you have a backyard, take your pet out for supervised visits. <span style="color:#ff0000;">(what happens if your cat lives outside all the time...import some more interesting birds? The slingshot squirrel massacres here eliminate that possiblity...)<br /></span>Step 6<br />Consider getting a second cat if the reason seems to be loneliness. An extra buddy to play with can make all the difference! <span style="color:#ff0000;">(A second cat so it can run away too? Besides, I think he will know the difference...do you think the mangy cat he lets steal his food counts...?)<br /></span>Step 7<br />Take your pet for an examination and blood test. If physical causes are ruled out, it could be the result of a chemical imbalance. You vet may prescribe anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medications to treat it. <span style="color:#ff0000;">(Guatemalans laugh at me for giving my cat real cat food instead of table scraps and for taking it for its shots...I think anti-depressants for my cat just might tip the crazy-gringa scale against me...that also sounds like something my PCV budget wouldn't quite allow for)</span>http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2009/07/cat-depression.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-7654152259696028175Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:59:00 +00002009-07-06T10:29:56.410-07:00Too much FOOD....A lot of the cultural adjustments for us in Guatemala center around food. Vegetarians are misunderstood and often ridiculed...vegans have it worse. The food make people sick, gives them worms, and there are times when we just don't want to see another tortilla ever again.<br /><br />The worst part, though, is that everyone is always offering you food. They invite you to coffee, to lunch, to snack, to dinner. Every time you stop by to say hello the food get's brought out to make you feel welcome. Bread, coffee, tortillas, beans, tamales...it's all an option. The custom in probably amplified but the fact that I am obviously not from around here and people go out of their way to make sure I feel welcome. At Christmas, Keri and I were given more tamales than I could stand to eat in a year.<br /><br />Ok, so I know, right? I too thought that a culture in which you were always offered food (and usually good tasting food) was HEAVEN! Who wouldn't want to have the option of always eating, not to mention never having to cook for yourself or wash the dishes because you are invited to eat in other people's houses?<br /><br />Well folks, there is another cultural aspect that complicates things. In Guatemala, it is also rude and offensive to refuse an invitation. That's right...you just ate dinner? It doesn't matter, you should eat again. "No thank you" translates to "I don't like your food or your house or you" when you turn down food. Also, if you don't clear your plate, it means you didn't like it! Example: I am in the middle of eating second snack at school (first snack was a huge cup of atol I was given before I went to the store to get the snack I really wanted) when the teachers invited me to go eat snack with them (which by the way is more of a meal...chicken and tortillas and rice..) So, I barely choke that down and have about an hour leeway before someone is offering me lunch. AH!<br /><br />Who would have thought I, lover of food, daughter of Kathy "are you hungry?" Stanaway would dread the thought of free food...http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2009/07/too-much-food.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-6512306550305504377Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:02:00 +00002009-06-11T09:35:03.175-07:00Mean Kittens<p align="left"></p><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs090.snc1/4643_84347011291_512441291_2314254_7775651_n.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 396px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 288px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs090.snc1/4643_84347011291_512441291_2314254_7775651_n.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em>Left to right: Willie, Eto'o, and Yoda</em></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left">So, when I decided that I would babysit 3 wild kittens with the goal of making them tame, I confess I really didn't have any idea of what I was getting myself into. I was thinking that they might adapt pretty quickly to me giving them food, recognize that I wasn't dangerous, let me pet them a little, and my job would be done. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">What I didn't count on was the power of motherly anti-human propoganda, lack of human contact in their early moments of life, and well...fear. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">I'm used to Aslan, who likes to cuddle and crawl under my covers for a nap. He even falls asleep in matching positions with Donald.</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 323px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 433px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs110.snc1/4643_84346911291_512441291_2314238_1278679_n.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div align="left">So, the experiment was not a great success. After a month of chasing them around trying to get them to come inside I was left with 2 1/2 wild kittens. We ended up giving away the two wildest to Donald's sister-in-law and I kept the least mean for further observation because there was hope. I thought you might want to meet them.<br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 263px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 395px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs110.snc1/4643_84346996291_512441291_2314251_5069778_n.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center">Eto'o (meanest)</div><br /><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 347px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 258px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs090.snc1/4643_84347016291_512441291_2314255_244977_n.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center">Yoda (right I know, the ears. So cute but not happy with humans)<br /><br /><br /></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 302px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 432px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs110.snc1/4643_84346991291_512441291_2314250_4670728_n.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div align="center"><em>Ballena =</em> Whale (Willie) He's the keeper...for now...</div><br /><br /><div align="left">The good news is that Aslan had someone to play with although I was never quite sure is he was giving them a warm embrace or trying to suffocate them...I think it might be the end of my kitten raising career.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 407px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 270px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs110.snc1/4643_84347006291_512441291_2314253_3811329_n.jpg" border="0" /> <p></p>http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2009/06/mean-kittens.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-856667088761078625Thu, 07 May 2009 16:32:00 +00002009-05-07T09:44:57.456-07:00This little piggy stayed home...<a href="http://www.seret.co.il/images/movies/babePigInTheCity/babePigInTheCity1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 140px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.seret.co.il/images/movies/babePigInTheCity%5CbabePigInTheCity1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Ok, so the swine flu...oh, sorry...H1N1 or something more scientific sounding like that...has reached Guatemala. A lot of Guatemalans sounded kind of surprised, but with all the people/stuff traffic between here and out nothern neighbor, I would have been surprised if it didn't get here. </div><br /><div></div>Although the nurses warned us of possible future outbreaks of bird flu and gave us an emergency dose of something in case of virul emergency (kind of feels like the bat-phone) swine flu was not in the PC medical (or anybody's) plans.<br /><br /><div>So, the Peace Corps has advised us to stockpile food in case of the worst case which would mean an in-house quarantine. I have decided to replicate my family's earthquake kit from days of old. My mom bought things like granola bars and spaghetti O's and other things that we normally weren't allowed to eat...C'MON EARTHQAUKE!! The good news was that when the earthquake didn't come in the following 3 years, we got to eat the chewy chocolate chip granola bars to avoid expiration....Mmmm...So the Guatemalan kit will include things like Chikys (chocolate enrobed cookies) and orange soda and pineapple pie and all the other things I shouldn't eat in Guatemala but would make me feel good about staying in my house 24/7. </div><div> </div><div></div><div>I will also continue my ever popular Healthy Schools Guatemala mantra...<em>lavate las manos lavate las manos lavate las manos...</em>wash your hands wash your hands wash your hands...Nothing new in that department.</div>http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2009/05/this-little-piggy-stayed-home.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-4808665462607446904Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:50:00 +00002009-03-24T15:22:56.560-07:00Don't be scared...I have been hearing a lot about violence in Guatemala. The funny thing is, I have heard about it not from Guatemalans, not from the News, not even from fellow Peace Corps colleagues. I have been hearing about the increase in violent crime that is apparently happening in the country I am living in from...well...people who don't live in it.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Between Google Alerts, my Mom, and Google Alerts forwarded to me by my Mom, I have heard about quite a few instances in the recent past where foreigners have been targets of violent crime in Guatemalan. One involved a bus of people including a Canadian aid worker who were tied up and robbed on their way to Mexico. Another involved a pastor who was killed. There was also a group of University of Michigan students who were robbed on their spring break trip to Guate. </div><div> </div><div>Ok, so I know I have probably scared you by now.</div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316876711726202418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 126px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SclXMwT8vjI/AAAAAAAAAUo/49EKj85tFkQ/s320/images.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><p> I am here to tell you: DON'T BE SCARED. Cancel the plane ticket you are buying in order to come here and drag me home to safety. I'm not going.</p><p>The truth is, there is crime in Guatemala. There is violent crime and often foreigners can be targeted. The truth is, thieves think that we have money and a lot of times they are right. </p><p>Most violent crime as far as statistics you might hear is concentrated in the capital city, which Peace Corps volunteers have almost no occasion to visit. As far as these stories you hear about buses of tourists getting robbed, there are things you can do to easily avoid these kind of situations:</p><p>1. Leave your laptop at home. In an article I read about the University of Michigan students that were robbed, they listed among the items taken were iPods, cameras, and phones. Thieves know we (foreigners) carry that kind of stuff. They see the luggage rack full and the girl in front roaming for a wireless signal on her laptop and they know we are a good target. </p><p>2. Stay on the highway. There are certain routes that are common targets of burglary. They are usually shortcuts that are more isolated ways to get to where you are going. The Peace Corps has a list of roads we aren't supposed to take. I know it seems like it gets you there quicker, but a robbery slows you down a lot. </p><p>3. Give it up. Most robbers don't want to hurt you. If they ask for your diamond earrings or your wallet, give it up. Totally not worth your life. </p><p>4. Don't worry about it. Ok, I know you see it on the news and it seems like it is happening all the time, but it's not. Lot's of people come to Guatemala and have a good time without ever being a victim of any crime. The crime most likely to hit you is pickpocketing. Big deal. </p><p>It makes me sad that a lot of people might not want to come here because of what is happening. It is a beautiful country with lots of great things to see. Crime happens a lot in New York and there are neighborhoods you should definitely avoid, but there are also a lot of cool things you should go there and see. </p><p>I have a friend that had a trip planned to come here to Guatemala and cancelled at the last minute because he was worried about safety. I don't think anyone should do something they aren't comfortable with. However, there are a lot of things you can do here to avoid unsafe situations and these kind of instances aren't that common. </p><p>Guatemala relies a lot on tourism to boost its economy. So don't be afraid. Leave your iPhone at home and get down here!</p>http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2009/03/dont-be-scared.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-5883484117935284306Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:32:00 +00002009-02-18T14:09:40.278-08:00NASCAR has nothing on the Guatemalan "Chicken Buses"<div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Here is another submission by my guest writer, describing life in Guatemala better than I ever could.</div><br /><div>To properly transmit an understanding of this experience I must first define the elements so as you are reading, you can fully appreciate the story: </div><br /><div>To and from anywhere is the country of Guatemala, you have the following transportation options: </div><br /><div>Walking - Over two weeks of travel in this beautiful country, we saw lots of people walking in the middle of nowhere, many times with a substantial load on their back to an apparent destination. </div><br /><div>Bicycle - Pavement, gravel road or path, the bicycle is alive and well.<br /></div><br /><div>Car or Pickup - *** Note to US Automakers, you lost the battle in Central America! 90% of the vehicles I saw were Toyota, the other 10% are mostly Asian between Nissan &amp; Mitsubishi. (A brief moment of silence please, I saw less than 5 Volkswagens during our visit). Lastly, of the 90% Toyota figure, 80% of that total were pickups for hauling things or people, or things &amp; people at the same time).<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304257616808983970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZyCMwcPPaI/AAAAAAAAATo/Hh7-VLRb7dU/s320/DSC00421.JPG" border="0" /><br />Private Coach - Can you say "TURISTA".<br /></div><br /><div>Chicken Bus - Primary means of travel for any distance for 98% of Guatemalans (including cool travelers with personal bi-Iingual guides). I'm sure there was a time when someone first called buses by this name but here is a picture of the chickens ready to go on the top of the "Chicken Bus":<br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304262555723180946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZyGsPVJK5I/AAAAAAAAAUg/uuFD_SU9aUc/s320/DSC00731.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>People ride these buses for school, work or traveling to the next city for "market day", selling their goods in an all cash or barter system:<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304257626091537730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZyCNTBXxUI/AAAAAAAAAT4/iJnf93lgKvY/s320/DSC00413.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304257629746872834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZyCNgo3wgI/AAAAAAAAAUA/4kqjc9TlHuU/s320/DSC00397.JPG" border="0" /> </div><br /><div>Where do American used Toyotas and School Buses go ? Guatemala </div><br /><div>Now add the free market of these travelers to a bus driver (owner) and helper (a sometimes amazing gymnast climbing with heavy loads up on the roof and back into the moving bus), all the while calling out for travelers to ride their bus along the route. When not busy with these tasks the young man is collecting money and tracking new riders so he can collect their money. </div><br /><div>Two more things, then we'll be ready for the story. Very few buses are left with their dark yellow exterior. Most are repainted and then given a "name", possibly a pretty girl or girlfriend:<br /><br /></div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304257640361166274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZyCOILhBcI/AAAAAAAAAUI/B7v9rDwCo8Y/s320/DSC00366.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>Or if they really go all out, look at the chrome and fancy paint of this unit:<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304260906055515362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZyFMN1uPOI/AAAAAAAAAUY/tXcnv4jcuXA/s320/DSC00729.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><div>Getting to/from anywhere in Guatemala including the major cities and also the most off track gravel road you will have an option to catch a "Chicken Bus". (I will call it a bus from now on so I don't annoy my readers). Your first order of business is to identify the direction you want to go (which could include a city beyond your planned destination) and then find a group of people waiting on the side of the road or a regular bus stop. Then you watch and listen for approaching buses by the loud diesel engine and/or air horn. As you hear them approach then you look to see the young helper leaning out the folding door shouting their intended destination "XELA, XELA, XELA..." pronounced Shayla, Shayla, Shayla. (Again, think carnival barker). You either move toward the bus or waive your hand as it approaches at high speed to signal your intention to ride their bus. Now each bus is independently owned but there seems to be some understood cost of a bus ride because people get on the bus and sometimes travel many miles until actually transacting their payment.</div><br /><div>Now to my NASCAR reference. I will start by stating what I feel is the generally understood philosphy of every bus driver we encountered: </div><br /><div>"No bus, coach, commercial truck, private van, pickup, car or any other moving thing shall remain UNPASSED !!"</div><br /><div>Every highway, secondary road, construction zone or gravel backroad is also open game for them to pass traffic whether it's an open straight away or approaching blind corner.</div><br /><div><em>Were your scared</em> ? No, not really. Maybe it was the loud music they play from a 4 speaker stereo or the typical religious references scattered throughout the interior or the non-chalant attitude of the other riders which seemed to say "this is normal, no big deal". Again, couple this speed driving with the drivers constant use of the airhorn and their eagle eye for potential clients waiting beside the road. What an experience ! </div><br /><div>Next theory: (Actually stated by my wife Kathy). Guatemalan bus riders must have velcro in the seat of their pants. We were sliding side to side while holding on to the seat (classic school bus seats by the way) in front of us while our local friends sat quietly, often with a child in their lap with no apparent need to HOLD ON ! We're talking sore forearms and tention headaches from each leg of the trip... </div><br /><div>Last thought: The bragging rights for Cummins, Detriot and Catapillar Diesel engines is alive and well in Guatemala. The last bus we road from Xela back to Guatemala City (or Guate if you're a cool traveler or local) was sitting in the line que of the bus terminal. I noticed the driver had a "CAT" logo cap on and assumed he wore it for no apparent reason. Was I surprised when he fired up the bus engine and typical "CAT" sound roared to life "Blap,blap,blap,blap..." Now if you know your commercial diesel engines very well, the CAT diesel is known for one thing and that is pulling power on the hills. Our new friend drove real slow and cool out of town and then once we hit the open road (i.e. two lane road with traffic out of town he started what would be normal for the next 5 1/2 hours: Pass, pass, pass, pass, airhorn, stop for people, pass, pass, pass, airhorn, stop, let some off etc. Then you could see the faint smile of satisfaction on his face as we approached the hills where the CAT would really shine again with the idea, anything ahead of him needed to be passed. </div><br /><div>We made record time to Guate according to Andrea and I was all ready with my practiced spanish "Bueno Chofer" when we encountered traffic as we entered the city. Way up ahead we could see a minor accident in our lane and the CAT driver crawled along clear up to the accident over 20 minutes with no attempt to move over a lane. Guatemalans are infected by our same disease called "Rubber Necking" which is slowing down to look at an accident or distraction for no logical reason. </div><br /><div>I may not have done this experience justice but I will leave you with one last thought and a picture. I stand 6'0 feet tall and on average was a head taller that our new friends. When a big gringo rides the bus, the space next to him will be the last to fill including everyone else sitting 3 to a seat. I wanted to show the bathrooms we used in Xela before boarding for our long ride. You pay to use them and are handed a handful of tissue or a section of the local newspaper ad's for wiping... The last two elements are the toilet walls were about 4'0 high with no seat attached to the comode and the common Guatemalan practice was employed that you don't flush the paper, you put it in a bin or throw it on the floor in this case. </div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304260898739586594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZyFLyleBiI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/dfePJQWInbo/s320/DSC00728.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>It's a different country with amazing, spectacular scenary and geniune, friendly people wherever we traveled. They have one really cool thing going for them that the rest of the world could learn from: Everywhere we went, no matter who we encountered, a pleasant greeting was exchanged: Buenos Dias, Buenos tardes or Buenos noches, Good morning, Good afternoon or Good evening. Wouldn't that make your world a better (and more friendly) place ? </div><br /><div>Regards, Jim</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2009/02/nascar-has-nothing-on-guatemalan.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-6756461304052082239Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:12:00 +00002009-02-17T13:56:32.331-08:00Special guests<div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Hey everyone! Last month I had the GREAT opportunity to have my parents come and visit me! It was indescribable and I wish I could find the words to tell you all about it, but I will leave it to my special guest writer to try and put the experience into words. Enjoy!<br /></div><br /><div>Imagine if you will, flying to a non-English speaking country, clearing customs and walking out of the unfamiliar airport. Then imagine being met by your bi-lingual tour guide, accompanied by a hotel shuttle with all arrangements made for the next 4 days to tour the country including some of the most popular and picturesque tourist sites.<br /></div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303881890896049410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZsseoV8dQI/AAAAAAAAASA/BapiblTvsgo/s320/DSC00306.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303881887188440162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZsseah-1GI/AAAAAAAAAR4/kr5rOQO1kL8/s320/DSC00224.JPG" border="0" /> Then imagine traveling to their hometown to spending a week as their guest, learning about their life, meeting their friends and walking the streets of their town as a special visitor.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303881900827775522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZssfNV2kiI/AAAAAAAAASI/MmEotZRdQr8/s320/DSC00485.JPG" border="0" /> Dinner with their family friends: </div><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303881902438182274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZssfTVzbYI/AAAAAAAAASQ/UsiZROit7SM/s320/DSC00680.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>And enjoying their pets: </div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303881912571602738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZssf5FzJzI/AAAAAAAAASY/_YJaoXJDY1g/s320/DSC00425.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303884946490454562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZsvQfUa8iI/AAAAAAAAASg/1wr-B14nmTU/s320/DSC00239.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>Without the creature comforts like heat and hot running water:<br /><br /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303884950521885202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZsvQuVlshI/AAAAAAAAASo/3ttBwOhnf0Y/s320/DSC00684.JPG" border="0" />Doing the laundry was a whole new process: </div><div> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303888064043819298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZsyF9HEISI/AAAAAAAAATY/6Sb9HO6nAs4/s320/DSC00378.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303888072310515170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZsyGb5_5eI/AAAAAAAAATg/TxWYWeSkvN0/s320/DSC00383.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>And transportation was a real adventure: (more on that later)<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303886917847499026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZsxDPMkQRI/AAAAAAAAATQ/Hh0z8ZRnbAw/s320/DSC00729.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303886906510335618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZsxCk9k3oI/AAAAAAAAATI/sFYE6Rc2FX0/s320/DSC00710.JPG" border="0" /><br />And then imagine in the reality of these special two weeks, that your special guide was our daughter Andrea, personally showing us her life in Guatemala working for the Peace Corps. Teaching health education in 3 schools, living in a small town at 9000 feet, completely fluent in Spanish, caring and loving people as an extension of our family and community. Kathy and I were blown away and amazed at her life there.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303884971674930770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SZsvR9I3jlI/AAAAAAAAATA/-DsgULUud-k/s320/DSC00419.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2009/02/special-guests.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-1190385867049903225Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:06:00 +00002009-01-07T07:56:46.240-08:00Where are you Miss Keri?Christmas in Guatemala = Tamales + More Tamales + Unsafe Firecrackers + Fruit Punch<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Also equals a visit from Keri which despite several fiascos and illnesses was really fun. Here are some highlights of what we did!<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288580028125341266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SWTPg_ai5lI/AAAAAAAAAP4/gRDE3cM0Mro/s320/DSC00145.JPG" border="0" /></div><div></div><div>Here are the firecrackers we lit at Christmas. I know they don't look like much, but they cause sparks and noises that send you running for your life. Unfortunately Donald didn't tell us that we would have to run AND take over so there was a pretty close call but we escaped with all our limbs.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288580015889131922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SWTPgR1NKZI/AAAAAAAAAPw/yD8bNCH_erE/s320/DSC00118.JPG" border="0" /></div><div></div><div>A day or two after...or was it before...Christmas we went on a hike down to the wooden bridge at the river. Donald made us run across it and I think maybe the expression speaks for how scared I was and how stable that wooden bridge they installed in the 70's feels today.</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288580976255023970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SWTQYLeRu2I/AAAAAAAAAQg/YsaKRyOU7oM/s320/PC260445.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288580965535928770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SWTQXjipUcI/AAAAAAAAAQY/HjZ7Iiz2ERQ/s320/PC260440.JPG" border="0" />After Christmas we went to Panajachel where Keri and I got a zipline in before we got ragingly ill (probably from the raw vegetables I forgot to warn her about...) and went home early.<br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288580041959752162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SWTPhy87QeI/AAAAAAAAAQI/UPcLcf6BuVk/s320/P1010477.JPG" border="0" /> It was ok though beacause we were well in time for Donald and Abner to take us to the ruins in Zaculeu and to the Hot Springs. The ruins were fun, although the plaster-job that the United Fruit Company did in the 40's ruins all illusion of authenticity that might have remained. All the same, they were fun to climb and we had a nice picnic lunch.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288580037783762546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SWTPhjZStnI/AAAAAAAAAQA/sZvOFiJOStA/s320/DSC00178.JPG" border="0" /> All in all, it was a memorable visit and a memorable Christmas for both of us. She was a good sport about everything, even though she was sick almost the whole time. In a time when I should have been REALLY depressed missing friends and family, she came and saved me!<br /><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288580050347576402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SWTPiSMvTFI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/IRJEWC-uWm4/s320/DSC00152.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2009/01/where-are-you-miss-keri.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-8060446318476885719Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:05:00 +00002008-12-11T10:35:12.860-08:00The Un-ill Side of My Vacation<div><div><div><div><div>So, here are some photo highlights of my trip to Mexico with Andrea and Jeff and Jeff and a few days with the Skjonsby's in Guate beforehand. Look, I wasn't ragingly ill the WHOLE time....<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278597355116690258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SUFYU8gL-1I/AAAAAAAAAOw/FcOct_lZOPs/s320/PB240163.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div><div><div><div>We started off with a short run to Panajachel, a beautiful town by one of the most amazing volcanic lakes in the WHOLE world. Donald met us there and tried to learn how to fish.<br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278599902280585634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SUFapNbYkaI/AAAAAAAAAPI/KA97gdzIu2g/s320/PB240176.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278597332415069330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SUFYTn7svJI/AAAAAAAAAOg/Fbha1XZNUyg/s320/PB240168.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278597339189367698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SUFYUBK0U5I/AAAAAAAAAOo/AA3KqviuS7o/s320/PB250195.JPG" border="0" /> <div>After a quick review of one of Guatemala's most amazing sites, it was off to Cancùn for some more traditional relaxation, where we met up with the other Jeff. There was lots of good food, games, beach time, and general silliness.</div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278599909075271042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SUFapmvXPYI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/_EpTIIV00oA/s320/PB290230.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278597377473911682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SUFYWPykG4I/AAAAAAAAAPA/oY96qjf2xZU/s320/PB280217.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278599924655706658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SUFaqgyB0iI/AAAAAAAAAPo/BxoA4gCgo1c/s320/PB300270.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278599921817098354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SUFaqWNQGHI/AAAAAAAAAPg/ZawmeTYmINA/s320/PB300263.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div>We also got to take a kayak trip out to the second biggest coral reef in the world and I took this nice underwater shot. </div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278599914571156930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SUFap7NrzcI/AAAAAAAAAPY/Ywgihyme62U/s320/PB290241.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278597364162423954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SUFYVeM27JI/AAAAAAAAAO4/kk2jJhAQtmk/s320/PB290254.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2008/12/un-ill-side-of-my-vacation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-7035688915105341642Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:23:00 +00002008-12-10T12:58:09.236-08:00Lions, Cows, and Their Anitbiotics<em>Disclaimer: All medical decisions made in the following stories were made me myself and me alone without the consult, advice, or premission of the marvelous and amazing Peace Corps health staff.</em><br /><br /><div>Ok, so I promised information, so here some is. I know you were incredibly enticed by my juicy preview so I will try to tell a few stories. I am waiting on most of Mexico until probably tomorrow when I can put some pictures in there too and quit using these ones I found on the internet to make my blog interesting. </div><br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278266570231128338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SUAreuxyIRI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/oZ7UdSL61tw/s320/san-andres-lion-cub-462798-sw.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>So here is the good news. When I got back from the vacation I have yet to tell you about, I finally got to take my Kitten home. That obviously isn't a real picture of him/her but that you get the idea. My friends are all forming armies around whether it is a boy or girl and there are people that are pretty sure in both camps. I know nothing about animals but how so many reasonable people can get opposite answers from the same kitty's belly is beyond me. The jury is still out on the sex, but its name is Aslan and it is REALLY cute. It is a little whiney right now but that might have to do with tearing it away from its mother and tying it up at my house until it gets used to me and won't run away. I promise, it isn't as cruel as it sounds, animal lovers. I left the rope really long so he/she can frolic. </div><br /><div></div><div>Speaking of animals....<br /></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278267946055935234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 168px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KIkDYAW7G3U/SUAsu0H-pQI/AAAAAAAAAOY/TrT6SUG4Qvs/s320/cow.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>Cows. I have this nameless Guatemalan friend. Actually, its a friend of a friend...Actually its just a guy I heard of once from a friend of a friend....well, he hurt his foot playing soccer and it was something like sprained. So, after a few weeks of not healing all the way, a friend suggested he use this magical ointment. Now, although it was an ointment for COWS it was rumored to work wonders on human bodies. It actually when used resulted in the worst allergic rash I have ever seen. The obvious moral story I got out of the experience with this aquaintance of a friend's friend was that ANIMAL MEDICINE SHOULD NOT BE USED ON HUMANS. I thought this unnamed guy who used cow ointment was silly. </div><div></div><br /><div>Ok....skip to Mexico. So, I felt a little ill when we arrived, but since when does air travel NOT make you feel slightly queasy? So, fast forward to ragin illness the first night in the most beautiful 5 start resort you have ever seen. So, the next morning, I felt bad enough to open my wallet and go see the resort doctor they charge you for (not in any way associated with the wonderful Peace Corps medical staff) He was really nice, prescribed me medicine, and took my $150 with a smile. He gave me 4 medecines, one of which I only took for a day because it was liquid and thick and minty. If it sounds like drinking toothpaste, you are right, it felt just like that and I could barely force it down. So, I only took it for one of the two prescribed days. </div><br /><div></div><div>Fast forward again to Guatemala, where the wonderful Peace Corps nurse looked up the medications I took (just out of curiousity). They all checked out.....except for the toothpastey one which turned out to be an animal antibiotic that is banned in the USA by the FDA. Thanks Mexican doctor! </div><div></div><br /><div>I don't know if it was Karma for laughing a little at my friend with the cow ointment or what, but I am lucky not to have any adverse side effects. It just goes to show that you can't always trust really nice doctors that work at five star resorts. Let that be a lesson to you. I am telling you, that medicine was gross, I am not even sure my lion/kitten should take it. </div>http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2008/12/lions-cows-and-their-anitbiotics.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-350705389299487165Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:21:00 +00002008-12-04T13:32:06.851-08:00Still sorry...<a href="http://osmoothie.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/crying-baby-party-56800676.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 347px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://osmoothie.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/crying-baby-party-56800676.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://images.google.com.gt/imgres?imgurl=http://osmoothie.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/crying-baby-party-56800676.jpg&amp;imgrefurl=http://osmoothie.com/2008/08/24/&amp;usg=__nVUyK2XFeTYHzoLRzHXanffsC5Y=&amp;h=490&amp;w=490&amp;sz=104&amp;hl=es&amp;start=14&amp;tbnid=rihLxSzJ8Ws5TM:&amp;tbnh=130&amp;tbnw=130&amp;prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcrying%2Bbaby%2Bfoto%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Des"></a></div><br /><div>So, I am STILL a really lazy blogger, but I promise a new one this week although the internet is almost closed for Christmas (I know...you wish you were in a country with severely extended holidays too). </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>News to look forward too: Photos and stories from Mexico, raging illness, kittens, cow udder allergies, how airport x-rays can affect your pregnancy, and third world prescription of minty animal anitbiotics. All this and more is coming and that is BEFORE the holidays, so keep checking in. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Stay tuned.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Advertisement: Christmas presents can be sent with Kerianne who is the best friend EVER for spending Christmas with me and helping me eat the enormous food gift Guatemalan families are preparing for me. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I also love you. </div>http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2008/12/still-sorry.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-4215125741580847390Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:47:00 +00002008-11-10T09:00:34.294-08:00Sorry...Ok, so I know what you are thinking...I am a really horrible blogger. It isn't that I forgot about you or I don't like you, I just haven't really had anything exciting to report.<br /><br />School is still out for the summer. I am teaching english classes to 25 nine to thirteen year olds in the library which isn't my favorite thing in the world, but I did get them to practice pronouns by listening to Simon and Garfunkel's "The Boxer" which I thought was pretty cool of me.<br /><br />While you all were celebrating that great-excuse-for-dress-up holiday called Halloween, I was celebrating All Saints Day which is kind of like the Day of the Dead in Mexico. The festivities incluse painting graves and depositing flowers and wreaths on the graves of family members. Although my lack of relatives in the cemetery and my fear of being named a gawker prevented me from touring the graveyard, I enjoyed watching the steady flow of people and flowers headed through town to the cemetery and the flowers for sale in the market were a nice and pretty change.<br /><br />I am also learning how to communicate to Guatemalans just how important things are in order to get them to work more quickly. In one of my schools, we are trying to get a grant to pave a basketball court. I have spent the last few weeks, together with my teachers, chasing down signatures and price quotes and masons. One thing that the Peace Corps is teaching me is definitely patience. Things just don't always move every quickly here and to hold on to your sanity sometimes you just need to relax and let things take awhile. You can only say "me urge" (its urgent) so many times before you want to give it up alltogether. The good news is, the paperwork is in and the comittee will give us an answer this week. I am also getting some scholarships together for some sixth graders to go to middle school. I think I am finally starting to feel like I am getting some work done here.<br /><br />Anyways, thanks for tuning in. I will try to write again soon if not before Thanksgiving then after since I am going with my best friends to Mexico to spend the holiday! I am SO lucky.http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2008/11/sorry.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-4220940216437232023Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:18:00 +00002008-10-13T10:19:51.047-07:00UpdateSo, I have gotten some complaints that I have been ignoring my blog. So, here is a quick life-update to get us back on track!<br /><br />The school year here just ended. That means the rainy season is also ending, which is good news. I know I said I really loved the rain but it will be nice for my clothes to actually dry for a change. So, I have been tying up some loose ends at school and looking forward to summer break. I am planning on teaching an English class at the library, relaxing a little, and getting some traveling done.<br /><br />I also just moved into a new house. I loved living with Reina and they are a great family but I started to get a little tired of having to be home by 8:30 and feeling weird with my friends over so I thought I should opt for a little privacy. So the last few weeks I have been cleaning up my new house, painting, and arranging things which you all know I love to do. I will put up some before and after pictures in a few weeks when I get everything done.<br /><br />I also went to church for the first time last week. There was a special service for Doña Lucy’s birthday and the family invited me so I thought I should go. I was really nervous to go. That seems kind of silly since I grew up in the United States going to church all the time and I have been to lots of different churches over the year. I was mostly nervous because the evangelical church here always seems kind of intense and I had heard it was really conservative. Also, I knew that when I went I would really stand out like I always do and I am uncomfortable with that much attention. I should also be used to the attention because I stand out almost everywhere I go around here. So, I went and it was actually pretty nice. I wore a skirt because I wasn’t sure how I should dress but not everyone was dressed up and some girls were wearing pants. They only announced my presence in the service once and didn’t call me up front or anything. The music was a little different than I am used to. It was just a piano and sometimes a bass guitar with the pastor singing hymns that I couldn’t understand very well. They also gave an opportunity for members of the congregation to go up front and sing a song dedicated to God. This week they had invited a trio of singers to come play as a gift to Doña Lucy and they were really good. They all played the guitar and sang religious songs but it was kind of a Mariachi-style. I really enjoyed it. Afterward, we all ate paches (kind of tamales…rice with chicken and tomato sauce wrapper up and steamed in a leaf) that Doña Lucy’s family had gotten up at 2am to make everyone. All in all, it was a good experience. I think I will probably go back someday. It is just one of the many things that are very very different in Guatemala.http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2008/10/update.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-9147742998030153911Sun, 21 Sep 2008 15:02:00 +00002008-09-21T08:09:43.091-07:00Vocab Lesson<div align="left">In light of my friends and family planning their AMAZING visits to Guatemala and to ME, I have composed a little bit of educational material to help you out. Don't worry, there is more to come!</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Things you should know in Spanish before coming to visit me:</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Hola (Oh-la) Hello<br />Buenos dias (Boo-oin-ohs Dee-us) Good morning<br />Buenas tardes (Boo-oin-us Tar-days) Good Afternoon<br />Buenas noches (Boo-oin-us No-chayz) Goodnight<br />Mucho gusto (Moo-ch-oh Goo-stow) Nice to meet you<br />Me llamo… (May Yah-mo) My name is…<br />Como se llama? (Coe-mow say yaw-maw) What is your name?<br />Gracias (Grah-see-us) Thank you<br />Por favor (Pour fah-vore) Please<br />Lo siento (Low see-en-toe) I am sorry<br />Disculpe (Disc-cool-pay) Excuse me<br />Como esta? (Coh-moh Ess-tah) How are you?<br />Yo soy ---- de Andrea (Yoh soy ---- day Awn-dre-ah) I am Andrea’s -----<br />Mama (Maw-maw) Mother<br />Papa (Paw-paw) Father<br />Hermano (Hair-mawn-oh) Brother<br />Amigo(a) (Ah-mi-go (gah)) Friend<br />Yo estoy perdido (Yoh ess-toy pear-dee-doh) I am lost<br />Me podria ayudar? (May poe-dree-ah ah-yoo-dar) Can you help me?<br />No hablo espanol (No ah-blow ess-pan-yol) I do not speak Spanish<br />Habla ingles? (Ha-blah een-glay-ss) Do you speak English?<br />Necesito llamar a mi --- (Ness-ess-ee-toe yah-marr ah me) I need to call my---<br />Amiga (Ah-me-gah) Friend<br />Hija (Hee-ha) Daughter<br />Hermana (Hair-mawn-ah) Sister<br />No entiendo (No en-tee-end-oh) I don’t understand<br />No me molesta (No may mow-lest-ess) Don’t bother me<br />No tomo (No toe-mow) I don’t drink</div>http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2008/09/vocab-lesson.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-228922751479426094Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:35:00 +00002008-08-28T16:42:39.679-07:00Market Day Lentil SoupIngredients:<br /><br />2 cups lentils (soak overnight with some onion and garlic)<br />1 large onion<br />2 cloves garlic<br />2 carrots<br />1 red pepper<br />4-5 small tomatoes<br />Any other vegetables you are a fan of (broccoli is good)<br />2 jalepeños<br />Salt<br />Pepper<br />Cumin<br />Curry powder<br /><br />Put it all together, watch a movie while it cooks. Good for dinner + next day lunch + so much more.http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2008/08/market-day-lentil-soup.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-4670506496787490004Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:35:00 +00002008-08-20T14:52:04.299-07:00Q 7.50 = $1.00Snacks for 3AM bus trip: Q7<br />Getting up at 2:30AM to catch the bus: Lots of will power<br />Bus fare from Cabricàn to Santa Lucia: Q52<br />Chuchitos for Bfast in Cuatro Caminos: Q6<br />Imaginary fiancee in the US to deflect men: Lots of imagination<br />Taxi ride to the doctor's office: $36.50<br />Doctor who shares your birthday: free<br />Cheeseburger at McDonalds to reward myself: Q40<br />Pirated movies to last me the next few months: Q50<br />Night with Mel in Chimal: free<br />Chuchitos in Mel's site: Q3<br />Bus fare from Chimal to Cabricàn: Q45<br />Bus breaking down on the way home: free<br />New bus fare the rest of the way: Q5<br />Sitting next to the guy who was also on the 3AM bus: Free<br /><br />Total two day trip cost: Q254.50<br />Falling in love with the world around you: Pricelesshttp://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2008/08/q-750-100.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-6744735060345961278Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:43:00 +00002008-08-14T11:00:14.364-07:00HU$TLERPop culture has arrived in Guatemala. We have all heard of this phenomenon called Globalization in which we are all connected and goods produced in or by one country can be relevant and available in other countries around the world.<br /><br />The problem here is Guatemala is that pop culture has arrived without the education to handle it. It used to be that people in other countries were just a little behind stylistically than us in the up-to-date fashion world. Don't worry, we are still using a lot of 80's and early 90's haircuts around here. With the increase of technology and of influence in the forms of foreign brands of clothing, people here have begun to adopt a lot of American styles. Kids run around with gold chains and big jeans and there are even some punk kids running around here in Cabrican.<br /><br />Somewhere along the line there was a disconnect in which people began to use these pop culture symbols we love so much without really knowing what they represent. Last week I went to a store where the lady owning it wore a black and silver hat that said "HU$tLER" across the front. This morning I ran into a friend's mother who had earring with the playboy bunny on them. I am sure the store owner liked the shiny colors of the hat and maybe even recognized the dollar sign, but I doubt she knows what a hustler is. I am positive that the church-going mother of my friend thought the rabbits on the earrings were cute but had no idea what playboy is.<br /><br />It is really funny to walk into the store and see the old lady wearing such a ridiculously not right for her hat, I know. It is also kind of sad because they really have no idea. We throw all of our culture into people's lives without giving them a chance to understand it.<br /><br />Lesson: Next time you are going to donate your HU$TLER hat or your playboy earrings to a charitable organization where it will then be resold in countries like Guatemala, think twice and maybe attach a note explaining the symbolism.http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2008/08/hutler.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2613665477438737426.post-7263067535085077196Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:10:00 +00002008-08-08T10:13:49.831-07:00Reoccurring Dreams<p>I have reoccurring dreams about whether or not the post office is open. I suppose it is a good thing that the mail is the most worrisome thought that plagues my mind at night.<br /><br />My English is slipping. I insertar words of Español even when I am hablaring with mí mamá. Life has become this weird mix of trying to speak Spanish to people who speak English and English to people who speak Spanish. My brain is having trouble figuring out who is who. I have got friends now and I think as I get more comfortable with them I feel like they should understand English because that is what I always speak with my friends….but they don’t and I am pretty sure I look like a crazy person most of the time. Last week I was giving a lesson and I started speaking English instead of Spanish in front of 25 third graders. Awkward.<br /><br />I think I am the only one who loved the cat Reina got to kill the ratones. Her name is Micheli. Reina says she hasn’t been eating very much and I think it might be because I let her lick my cereal bowl.<br /><br />I have realized being away from them that I have the best friends in the whole world. I miss you guys. I love living in Guatemala and I love my friends here but there is nothing that could ever beat a barbeque at the beach with you guys. I am starting to get a little U.S.-sick.<br /><br />Things I miss about the U.S. (besides family and friends and other obvious things that might make me cry in the internet café)<br /><br />1. Knowing what time to show up to things (everyone here seems so know exactly how late you should be except me. I am either way too early or way too late all the time)<br />2. The Mongolian Grill<br />3. Driving (not allowed here because of Peace Corps rules)<br />4. Costco (thanks to my brother who informed me he bought a huge pack of Australian toaster biscuits the other day)<br />5. Movies I can understand<br />6. Paved roads<br />7. Seattle<br />8. People who go outside in the rain (It rains here an everyone hides until it is over. Streets: totally empty)<br />9. Saying what you mean (here you say a trillion things to hint at what you really need or want but can’t ever come out and say it)<br />10. Laundry machines (have I already mentioned how long it takes to wash your clothes by hand?)<br />11. Affordable chocolate<br />12. Things that have prices (blonde hair seems to mean everything costs more here)<br />13. Concerts<br /> </p>http://wozaandrea.blogspot.com/2008/08/reoccurring-dreams.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Guatemalteca)3